Proposed landfill site at York in WA's Wheatbelt rejected by assessment panel

A planning assessment panel has rejected a controversial plan to turn a York farming property into a major landfill site for rubbish from Perth.

The Wheatbelt Joint Development Assessment Panel (WJDAP) voted 3-2 against the proposal at a meeting in the Avon Valley town.

The plan put forward by waste management company SITA would have seen a 1,500-hectare farm, 18 kilometres west of York, turned into a landfill with a 37-year life expectancy.

SITA has 28 days to determine whether to lodge an appeal.

If it does so, the matter would head to the State Administrative Tribunal and mediation.

The company, which is now considering whether to appeal, could also choose to lodge fresh, modified plans with the panel.

Community campaigns to protect 'food bowl'

The panel's decision comes after an enormous community backlash to the proposal, with all but one of the 212 public submissions criticising the plan.

About 200 people turned up to Monday's meeting, with most opposing the plan.

This is the food bowl of Western Australia and should be treated as such.

Lynley Bashford, resident

Lynley Bashford, who has been a prominent campaigner against the plan, says the fight is not necessarily over.

"No, we're not confident [the project won't go ahead], but we are more confident than we were six months ago," she said.

"We don't believe the landfill is in the correct place, we don't believe the Avon Valley is a place to tip waste, and neither do we believe for the future ahead that putting waste near water supply is protecting our future generations.

"This is the food bowl of Western Australia and should be treated as such."

The WJDAP determined a landfill was inconsistent with the zoning for the farming property, which is listed as being in the "General Agricultural Zone".

Zoning and land use taken into consideration

Panel presiding member David Gray says the community's response was important in the decision-making process.

"The community raised specific issues, related to the impacts of the application and they weren't simply objections which said 'we don't like it, therefore it should be refused'," Mr Gray said.

We're disappointed, but we've not made a decision yet on an appeal.

Nial Stock, SITA WA general manager

"They were detailed and they did cover a number of technical issues and they were very valuable in helping the panel come to a decision."

Mr Gray says the panel had numerous concerns with how the proposed use of the property fitted in with its zoning.

"The thrust of the objective [of the zone] was to encourage the continuing agricultural use of the land and the effect on natural resources, and there were issues related to the impact on natural resources," he said.

"I believe that impacted the way some of the panel members voted."

SITA's WA general manager Nial Stock says the company will now consider its options.

"We're disappointed but we've not made a decision yet on an appeal," Mr Stock said.

"I'll meet with the people who advise us on this and we'll consider whether we make that appeal.

"I think we've got a very sound case. I think we meet the objectives of the zone.

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